Sir David Beckham has become the latest celebrity to decorate gnomes for an auction to raise money to help schoolchildren get gardening.
The auction by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) for its campaign for school gardening comes as the charity lifts its ban on the pint-sized garden ornaments at the Chelsea Flower Show for only the second time in history.
Gnomes decorated by stars including Queen guitarist Sir Brian May, actresses Cate Blanchett and Dame Joanna Lumley, comedian Tom Allen and TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh are garnering bids in the auction.
Now Sir David has contributed a pair of gnomes, which a successful bidder might nickname “Posh and Becks” as the two ornaments have a passing resemblance to the famous couple.
One sports the England and Manchester United star’s number “7” on its red hat, and the other has long brown hair like Victoria Beckham.
On Wednesday afternoon, Sir Brian’s gnome, “Billy Bad-Axe”, which comes complete with its own guitar, was leading the auction with a bid of £2,600, with RHS president Keith Weed’s contribution coming in second at £1,111 after he pleaded for bids at a lunch for dignitaries at Chelsea on Monday.
But Sir David’s gnomes could bring in big bids as they join the auction as a pair.
Money raised in the auction will go to the RHS’s Campaign For School Gardening, which helps schoolchildren access gardening, giving them the chance to learn through growing plants, developing practical skills, confidence and understanding of the environment, the charity said.
Sir David was also involved in the RHS and King’s Foundation feature garden, the “curious garden”, which was designed with input from the King, the former football star and Mr Titchmarsh in a bid to encourage people to get curious about gardening.
The garden, designed by Frances Tophill, even features gnomes in celebration of the lifting of Chelsea’s ban, reflecting a tradition at Highgrove Garden, the King’s residence in Gloucestershire, where a gnome is often to be found in The Stumpery.
